We Speak In Silence
by ohshitwaddup
Summary: If music is the language of the heart, then Marid Al-Ameen is mute. His heart does not sing for anyone. He doesn't want it to, at least until he finds someone who can restore his voice.
1. Chapter 1

Marid Al-Ameen watches from the bar as some guy start to push around a teenager who looks around his age. He's seen this guy before, frequenting the bar with a few of his friends. He looks younger than them, with long blue hair and matching eyes. Marid wonders what his name is. The guy he ran into is big and burly and looks mean. Marid stands up, listening as the guy says: "Hey, watch where you're going, fuckhead!" before going to push the kid. Marid taps the man on the shoulder, putting on a smug grin.

"What's going on over here?" he asks, a lilt to his voice. The guy backs up, facing both him and the teenager.

"This rat ran into me," he points to him, slurring his words. Marid raises his eyebrows.

"And that's worth a bar fight? Wow, if I had a bar fight for every time someone ran into me, I'd have," he counts on his fingers, "no teeth. Which is what _you're_ going to have if you keep causing this guy any more trouble."

The man sneers. "Oh yeah? And what's a little guy like you going to do about it?" He lets out a large guffaw. Marid laughs along, feeling the corners of his mouth stretch into a wider grin. The man is just about to start laughing when Marid socks him in the jaw, causing him to stumble back. The teenager's eyes go wide as he immediately starts to intervene and calm down the situation.

"Whoa, whoa," the teen says, "this isn't necessary. We don't have to fight."

"What the fuck was that!" the man yells, puffing up his chest as he stops towards Marid.

"It's called a right hook, maybe you've heard of it?" Marid baits him. The man takes a swing, but Marid is smaller and faster. He ducks and drives his shoulder into the man's stomach. The man lets out an _oof_ of air before stumbling back. The teenager grabs at Marid's shoulders as Marid starts to march forward and continue the fight.

" _Seriously_ ," the guy says, his voice hard. "You don't have to fight for me."

Marid stops and blinks at him. "You don't want me to fight for your honor?"

" _No!_ " The guy cries. "I don't even know you! If you continue, you're going to hurt your hands."

Marid looks down at his bruising knuckles. He frowns in confusion at the guy. "What do you care about my hands?"

The guy pauses, seeming slightly flustered before frowning back. "Your music. How do you expect to play the oud if you hurt your hands?"

"Oh," Marid says, feeling a flush start to brush over his cheeks. This guy knows him because of his music? He'd never had someone listen to his music and care that much about it. Care enough about it to want him to protect his hands.

Both of them stand there staring at each other in an awkward silence. There's a roar and Marid turns around just in time to see a fist fly at his face. He tries to dodge, but it still clips him in the side of the head. Marid spins around, ignoring the pain in his face, to counter attack when the owner of the bar, Hisham, enters the scene. He's as big as the guy Marid's fighting with, but more muscular and less fat. His face is severe.

"Marid…" he says in a warning tone. Marid smiles angelically up at him.

"This guy was about to beat up a regular, "Marid says, gesturing to the kid. "I couldn't stand by and watch."

Hisham makes a face like he knows Marid isn't telling the full story and he knows that Marid _definitely_ baited him into a fight, but he also knows the type of guy that man is. He turns to the man. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. We don't tolerate fights between customers."

"Oh, come on!" the man shouts. "You can't tell me you believe this gutter rat over a paying customer!"

"This 'gutter rat' happens to be an employee of mine, and a very good one at that," Hisham says. "And this kid over here's a regular?" he addresses the question to Marid. Marid nods.

"I recognize him," Marid says. The boy shuffles.

Hisham hums. "Right, well. You need to leave. Now, will you go on your own or do I have to make you?"

The man groans but exits the bar. Hisham turns to Marid once he's gone. "You can't keep taking matters like this into your own hands. You need to learn when to fight and when to get me or another one of the older employees. Your hands are delicate."

Marid frowns. "I can't stand by and watch people get bullied."

"I realize that," Hisham says, sighing in the way people do when they've had the same argument with someone over and over again. "Just… be careful. Your almost off your break." Hisham leaves, heading back behind the bar to take care of more orders. Marid turns to the boy.

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I probably shouldn't have jumped in like that."

The boy sighs, but it doesn't sound annoyed or put upon. "It's fine. I can take care of myself, but it's nice to know someone would jump into the fray for my honor," there's a smug smile on his face. Marid feels his heart beat a little faster. "I'm Aladdin, by the way."

Marid shakes his hand. "Um, Marid. Marid Al-Ameen."

"Al-Ameen?"

"Yeah, I call myself that because it fits me. I'm pretty trustworthy, dontcha think?" Marid gives him a cheeky smile. Aladdin smiles back.

"Totally."

There's a lull in the conversation. "Uhh," Marid starts. "Do you want- um. I can buy you a drink if you'd like. To further apologize for my behavior. And not listening when you told me to stop."

Aladdin laughs. "I told you it's fine. I wouldn't turn down a drink though. As long as you let me heal your face."

Marid puts a hand to the side of his head that'd been hit and winces at the pain. "I wouldn't say no to that. Wanna come sit with me?"

"Sure," Aladdin says genially. He follows Marid to the bar where Marid pulls the chair out for him with a grand gesture. Aladdin sits in it and Marid sits next to him smiling. "Hisham, could we have two glasses of Moscato?"

Hisham raises an eyebrow at him and then Aladdin and then him again before getting out two glasses and pouring it in. "This is coming out of your paycheck."

"What paycheck?" Marid asks cheekily. Hisham puffs out his cheeks.

"The paycheck you're not getting anymore if you keep talking back, ya brat."

"Marid, don't lose your job because of me," Aladdin says, his eyebrows pulling together in worry. Marid laughs.

"It's fine, Aladdin. Hisham won't fire me. No one else around here knows how to play the oud. Or any other instruments, now that I think about it. No offense, but you guys are pretty lame."

Aladdin laughs. "None taken. I'm not from here, anyway. I've just been living in the area for the past year or so."

"Same here," Marid says. "But you've probably been here longer than me."

"Where'd you come from?" Aladdin asks him.

"Here and there," Marid answers. "I don't normally stay places long. You?"

A wistful look overtakes Aladdin's expression. "My life has been similar, though I have found a family through my friends."

"That sounds nice," Marid says genuinely. He wishes he had friends, but he doesn't say it, thinking it counterintuitive for wanting to know Aladdin better. Besides, he likes this little corner of the world, where he lives by himself in a small shack and works with Hisham and the others. He enjoys his job. "What brings you here?"

Aladdin seems a bit hesitant to answer. "We just wanted to get away from the… industrialization of the new world order."

"I getcha. I came here to try and find work, but be able to live by my own means without having to do whatever Sinbad wants me to. I don't really believe in the whole unifying the world thing. There's other things we need to think about before we try and unite everyone."

"Like what?" Aladdin asks, leaning forward. He hadn't touched his drink yet. He seems to be genuinely interested in what Marid has to say, but Marid still clams up under the attention. He's not used to attention that's not superficial.

"Um, I don't know. Like humanity and stuff, I guess," Marid says, taking a sip of his drink to give himself something other to do than talk. He doesn't like talking about himself, preferring to observe others and listen to what they have to say while disagreeing quietly. Aladdin senses Marid's discomfort and changes the subject.

"So, do you have any friends here?"

Marid laughs into his drink. _How do I say 'I don't have any friends' and not sound like a complete loser?_ "I don't know many people here. I mostly keep to myself. You?"

"Well, I have friends from before I came here, but I don't know many people from the area. Do you see that dark haired guy and the red haired girl over there?" Aladdin points to the two a few groups of people away. Marid nods. He vaguely remembers seeing them around Aladdin, though he has to admit that Aladdin had kept his attention. "Those are my two friends, Hakuryuu and Morgiana."

"That's nice. You all live together?" Marid asks. Aladdin nods.

"Yeah, it's nice. We all get along well though it didn't used to be that way. Hakuryuu was kind of the black sheep of the group, but now he's really straightened out his act and become an amazing guy."

"He sounds like it. It's nice to see how much you love your friends," Marid says, tilting his head to the side with a smile. The way Aladdin's face lights up when he talks about his friends, and his general mannerisms all scream _cute!_ really loudly to Marid. Marid straightens up when he sees the black haired guy -Hakuryuu -come over to them. Aladdin turns around when he sees the shift of Marid's posture and smiles up at Hakuryuu.

"Aladdin, we should probably get going soon," Hakuryuu says. Aladdin pouts but nods in assent, standing up.

"Thank you for the drink, Marid Al-Ameen," he says with a smile. Marid frowns.

"But you didn't drink it?"

Aladdin blinks, looking from the drink to Hakuryuu. "I didn't realize." He picks it up and downs it, blinking at the fruity taste of the Moscato and then the heat of the liquor as it settles in his stomach. Hakuryuu looks at him worriedly, putting a hand on his shoulder. Aladdin blinks a few more times and seems to sway a bit. Marid tilts his head.

"Not much of a drinker?" he asks, addressing his question to Hakuryuu. The man shakes his head. While Aladdin protests.

"I'm _fine_ ," he says before leaning in close to Marid. "I'll see you later," his fingertips dance on Marid's collarbone before Hakuryuu goes, " _yep"_ and starts to lead him out of the bar. Aladdin goes without protest and the two boys meet with Morgiana at the door. She takes one look at the flush on Aladdin's cheeks, shakes her head and then lifts him up. The group then leaves. Hisham sidles over to Marid, with a knowing smirk on his face.

"So, Aladdin, huh?" Marid blushes and scowls at the older man.

"Shut up."

* * *

" _I can't take care of you anymore,"_ _his mother had told him, passing him a bag and a blanket before pushing him out of the house. She looks back, over her shoulder, hearing the shouts between her master and his wife. "If they find you, they'll kill you. If you're able to make it to Baghdad, I have family there. My old teacher. She'll take you in."_

" _But mama, I'm only a little kid," Marid had said, his voice breaking and small. His mother smiles down at him._

" _You're smart. You'll figure it out. This is the last thing I can do to protect you. You must leave. Hurry."_

 _Marid does not understand why he will be killed. He hasn't done anything to their master, nor has his mother. All he knows is that his father had been taken away from them. He doesn't know why or how that should affect him. His mother told him that his father had been a good man, so why was Marid being punished? The eight-year-old wished he knew the answers to the universe._

 _His mother kisses him on the forehead and then the cheeks before embracing him. When she lets him go, she pushes him away and closes the door. Marid stares at it before hearing the yelling become louder and a scream. He'd never heard his mother sound like that, but he knew it was her. Fear rushes through his body and he turns and runs, his backpack bouncing against him and the blanket dragging in the sand._

* * *

The next time Marid sees Aladdin, is when he's performing. No one is necessarily listening to his song, but he doesn't care as he fingers stroke familiar patterns over the strings of his oud. Aladdin walks in and then directly over to him, sitting at the table nearest. He smiles up at Marid and waves. Marid smiles back before closing his eyes and listening to the way the intervals line up with one another. Aladdin doesn't move throughout the song, closing his eyes and listening as Marid plays _to_ him. Marid wishes his song would reach.

It's a song of hope, of friendship, of loyalty.

When it's time for his break, he sets down his oud on the small stage and Aladdin stands to follow him to the bar. Hisham gives him a glass of wine and gestures with an empty glass to Aladdin. Marid raises his eyebrows at him. Aladdin flushes and shakes his head. Hisham shrugs.

"Sorry about last time," Aladdin says as they sit down. "I was so excited about talking to you that I forgot I don't drink. And then I didn't know what to do," his cheeks flush, though it may just be a trick of the light. "I guess I didn't want to appear lame for not drinking at a bar."

"Nothing wrong with not drinking," Marid says. "I sometimes feel like I have to drink since I work here. Like it wouldn't look good for an employee at a bar not to drink, you know? But anyway, I never drink enough to get drunk."

"Since I don't drink, I don't know my limits," he laughs with embarrassment, "Though I guess now I know that it's one glass of white wine."

Marid chuckles. "That's fine, too. Like I said, no shame in it. Anyway, how are you?"

"I'm good," Aladdin says, then smirks. "Very good, now that I'm here with you."

The two boys flush. Aladdin covers his face with his hands. "That was embarrassing."

"Yeah, a little bit," Marid says with a flustered laugh. "Is this how you usually make friends?"

"I haven't made any friends since I was ten," Aladdin says, completely straight-faced. "I'm a little out of practice."

"Well, I'm _way_ more out of practice than you because I haven't made any friends like, ever," Marid says, trying to lighten the mood. His words catch up to him and wants to stab himself in the throat with a fork because what the _fuck_ was he thinking? That sounds so lame!

"You can't say that anymore because _I'm_ your friend," Aladdin says decisively. Marid grins.

"Did you just go ahead and decide that on your own?"

"Yeah," Aladdin says. "And you don't have any say in it. You're my friend now."

Marid laughs. "Great. Good to know I'm friends with a friendship dictator."

"You're welcome," Aladdin jokes. The two boys laugh before falling into some silence where Marid studies Aladdin's face. His skin is smooth and pale. His eyes are dark blue, like a night sky lit by the moon. He has a delicate nose and high cheek bones and a thin neck with a pronounced collarbone. He's beautiful.

"How old are you?" Marid asks, deciding that's an important thing to know. Aladdin raises an eyebrow.

"I'm sixteen," he says. Marid nods.

"Cool, I am, too."

"I've never had a friend my age before," Aladdin says with some amount of joy. "Normally my friends are much older."

"As I said before, I've never had a _friend_ before, so, we're both out of our element," Marid says. They enter into a small conversation of things they like and things they don't. Marid learns that Aladdin will eat basically _anything_ and that he doesn't like Sinbad very much, while Aladdin finds out that Marid's not a picky eater either and he's trying to get enough money to buy a new oud since his is a few years old and is getting harder and harder to keep in tune.

"If you ever want me to play for you and your friends, I will, free of charge," Marid offers, "since you seem to be a fan of music."

"I'm a fan of _your_ music," Aladdin responds. "It sounds like you're telling a story without any words and I like that. Every time I come in here, it's different."

Marid blushes. "I try to tell stories even though Hisham won't let me sing. He says that'd be too distracting for the customers since they come here to party and socialize with one another and if I sing, they'll feel obliged to listen."

"You can _sing_?" Aladdin asks, his eyes wide. Marid feels more heat rise to his face at the attention.

"I mean, yeah. I'm not super good or anything. It's just. Something I do in my spare time. My mother was a minstrel for a wealthy family in Reim so I learned some things," he explains.

"Could you sing me a song?" Aladdin asks, a smile on his face. "I'm sure you have a beautiful voice."

"Not as beautiful as yours," Marid responds before he can stop himself. Both he and Aladdin flush again. He clears his throat, "but yeah, I can. If you'd like."

"Sing me something right now," Aladdin demands.

"I mean, I don't have anything to accompany me… but… okay." Aladdin leans forward to listen. Marid thinks quickly wondering what song he should sing, before he decides on one. " _Oh father, tell me, do we get what we deserve? Oh, we get what we deserve. Way down we go… Whoa, let your feet run wild, time has come as we all go down… yeah, but for the fall, ooh my, do you dare to look them right in the eyes? Yeah… 'cause they will run you down, down till the dark. Yes, and they will run you down, down till you fall. And they will run you down, down till you go; so, you can't crawl no more. And, way down we go…"_ He pauses. "That's basically it. It feels weird to keep going without music."

"I love it," Aladdin says. "Your voice, the emotion, the lyrics. You have a gift, Marid."

Marid blushes. "Thank you. It's one of the first songs I wrote."

"Do you mind me asking what it's about?" Aladdin asks, curious. Marid hesitates.

"Well, um, I guess to make a long story short, I wrote it about my past. Where I come from," he explains. Aladdin nods, not pushing for more details than Marid's prepared to give. Marid has never talked about what he's been through to anyone. "Basically, when I wrote it I was in a place of confusion about fate and destiny and karma. I decided that those things exist, but they are meant to punish not to reward."

Aladdin hums, thoughtful. "I think that there's a duality to destiny. It can punish but it can also reward and sometimes what we perceive to be punishments may be a way for us to receive something greater later on. That's not to say whatever you went through was bad for a cosmic reason, but I guess I tend to look at things with a silver-lining."

"That's admirable," Marid says. "I wish I was able to see it that way."

"There's no shame in being more pessimistic," Aladdin says, repeating back Marid's earlier words. "Maybe when I was younger I would have thought positivity equals goodness, but I know better now. You shouldn't be ashamed for how you feel."

"You're wise, for a sixteen year old," Marid says.

"We're literally the same age," Aladdin says. Marid shrugs.

"My point still stands," Marid takes another drink of his and glances at Hisham who's staring at him. When they make eye contact Hisham nods towards his oud. Marid downs the rest of his wine and stands up. Aladdin looks up at him.

"Do you have to go back to work?"

Marid nods. "Duty calls. Are you staying or going?"

Aladdin looks through the crowd to try and find Hakuryuu and Morgiana. When he doesn't see them immediately, he shrugs. "I have time."

* * *

 _Marid runs and runs and runs until he finally reaches Baghdad. It's far away from Reim, all the way in Balbadd. He didn't know where Balbadd was until he got there and the dialect changed and people started to say King instead of Emperor. Marid isn't sure how to look for his mother's teacher or even where to stay. He bums in the streets, finding shelter in alleys, under overhanging roofs. He sniffs and lays with his arms over his knees, curled into a tight ball and doesn't cry. He has no more tears to shed._

 _In the daytime he goes around and does odd jobs. No one looks sideways at a lone child without someone to care for them. There are other children, too, but Marid doesn't talk to them. He doesn't know how. Marid goes from house to house, saying his mother's name to try and find her teacher, but to no avail._

 _ **Maybe they're dead**_ _, Marid thinks,_ _ **Maybe I'm truly alone.**_

 _It takes three days to find the teacher, an older woman who was once a famous minstrel. She takes one look at him and brings him inside her home. She gives him food and shelter and an oud. A new way of life._

" _Tell your story," she tells him, once she'd shown him the basics. Marid, now ten, is a fast learner. Adaptable._

 _One year later._

" _Tell me what you've seen."_

 _He does._

 _There are tears glistening in her eyes. "You are taught."_

 _Marid leaves in the morning._

* * *

"Aww, Marid has a crush!" Halima, Hisham's daughter, coos as he packs up his oud for the night. The tavern is clear of customers and it's only him and the other employees left to clean up. "That's so cute."

"What do you _mean_ , Marid has a crush?" Khadija, a barista, cuts in. "Is it on that blue haired boy he keeps talking to?"

"Totally," Halima responds. "He totally has a crush on him."

"I'm so glad my little Marid's found love," out of nowhere, Jamil, a server, wraps his arms around Marid and picks him up off the ground with a squeeze. "I'm so proud of him."

"Oh, lay off, guys, can't you see you're embarrassing him?" Layale, Hisham's oldest daughter chastises them. Marid is put back on the ground where he frowns deeply at Jamil and the rest. Except for Layale. She's nice. She can stay. "Besides, what's the point of teasing him now when his crush isn't even here?"

 _Never mind_ , Marid thinks as his coworkers all yell about how Layale is so right, _she's the worst of them all._

He quickly straps his oud to his back and starts to rush out of the tavern. He gets a few feet out onto the road when Jamil exits the bar as well, calling for him.

"Hey Marid," Jamil starts, walking towards him. "Are you sure you don't want to come and stay at my place? My wife won't mind. You'd have a good meal."

Marid ignores the rumbling in his stomach. His allowance for food only lets him eat four times a week. "No, it's fine. I'm taking care of myself. You don't have to worry."

Jamil looks like he wants to argue, but he doesn't, his eyes raking over the bones of Marid's wrists and the shoulders. "If you're sure. You wouldn't be imposing on us. You don't have to do everything alone, you know?"

"I appreciate the offer, but it's fine, really," Marid says. "Don't worry about me."

"I can't stop," Jamil laughs, but it's soft and not happy. "The others are worried about you too, but I have more agency to help. We care about you, Marid."

Marid's heart stops at the words and he feels a lump in his throat. Someone cares about him? That can't be right. Marid's a ghost.

He needs to leave.

"Thanks," Marid says. "Have a good night, Jamil."

And he's gone down the road, heat stinging behind his eyes in a way he hasn't felt in years.

Feelings.

They're making him soft.

* * *

 _Do you love me?_

 _I don't know if I love you._

 _Do you love me?_

The words are on his tongue as he strums his oud. Aladdin hasn't arrived at the tavern yet. His notes fall harmonically, descending and ascending, expressing feelings of confusion. Does he like Aladdin? Or is it just the intrigue of making friends with someone? He wishes he knew. At least then, he wouldn't feel so upside down-inside out whenever they talked. After he'd sung to him, he'd seen Aladdin a few other times, each time singing a different song that he'd written while by himself.

 _After I see myself abandoned, day after day, I am not there and tomorrow is not there either._

 _Maybe when the sun goes down, lately you're my sole surround, say my name._

 _And never can you take it back and never can you make it right._

The fact that he sang those songs to Aladdin honestly embarrasses him. He doesn't know what it is about him that makes Marid want to spill his guts about everything. Is that love? Marid thinks it's weakness. He's made it six years without a home, travelling by himself, not needing to rely on anyone and then suddenly some boy comes along and his feelings are like "this one! This one! You like this one!"

 _What the fuck?_

Marid plucks a dissonant chord, falling into a descending pattern of dissonance. It's how he feels, anyway. Out of order, different, jarring. Jarred.

 _I want to see you, the stars in your eyes._

 _I want to see us, to smile and be happy._

The doors open and Aladdin walks in, chattering with his friends. He gestures to Marid and Hakuryuu makes an expression of recognition. Morgiana stares at him with an unreadable expression. _She's probably great at poker_ , Marid thinks to himself. Aladdin brings his friends over to sit at the table nearest him. They sit there for a while chatting and listening to the music. Marid pauses his song to take a drink of water from the glass next to him. After he takes a swig, he addresses them.

"Any requests?"

"Something I can dance to," Morgiana says in a voice that's calm and firm. Marid decides he likes her authoritative tone.

"Coming right up," he says. He thinks for a few seconds before his fingers dance over the strings, bringing to life an upbeat and peppy song. Morgiana stands and begins to dance. _She's really good_ , Marid thinks. He enjoys watching her dance, something he wishes he could do more but he's just the musician. When she dances, all the eyes of the people in the bar are drawn to her, encouraging others to dance as well. It's cute watching the couples sway and laugh with one another, friends cheer each other on through embarrassment. Hakuryuu stays sitting next to Aladdin. He seems to be more rigid, while Aladdin sways to the beat from his chair.

After a few minutes of frenzied dancing and partying and playing, Marid starts to slow down the tune to something calmer. Morgiana returns to her seat next to Hakuryuu and the other patrons return to mingling with one another, buying more drinks. It was fun while it lasted.

"Could you sing something?" Aladdin asks him over the sounds of the oud. Marid chuckles.

"Aladdin, didn't you know? My words are only for you." Aladdin flushes at Marid's flirtatious comment but doesn't respond, only rolling his eyes before saying,

"I'm holding you to that. Sing me a song when you're done."

Marid shakes his head. "Don't I always?" He keeps playing, watching Aladdin and his friends and the others in the bar, seeking inspiration for his tunes. His eyes keep being drawn back to Aladdin. Of course, he's always been attracted to him. They're the same age and Aladdin is pretty and Marid likes men. He thinks about the way Aladdin smiles. Marid likes that about Aladdin. When he smiles, Marid feels like he's being blessed by the sun.

Marid likes the way Aladdin speaks, as if he _knows_ everything, he likes the way that Aladdin speaks to him. Softly, assured, comforting. He likes the way Aladdin explains his world views and gives Marid a new way of thinking. When they speak, Marid feels like it's okay think like him. Marid likes how Aladdin looks at him when he sings, almost fond (but Marid's probably projecting) and then the way he speaks about the lyrics. Marid understands him. He likes the way they look at each other in the silent din of the bar, in the candle, the way it reflects in his eyes. Marid feels like Aladdin _sees him_.

Frankly, that terrifies him. The idea that someone can see him and understand what they're looking at.

He opens his eyes, which had closed while he played and thought and expressed, and looks at Aladdin. He's staring at Marid with his mouth slightly open. Marid wonders what Aladdin has understood in his song. Marid strums the tune to a natural cadence, a closing point in the music. In the silence sounding after the cadence, Marid lets himself feel, for a second.

He _likes_ Aladdin.

* * *

if I could add footnotes for citations I would. songs i reference in order:

Kaleo. "Way Down We Go." _A/B_ , Elektra, 2016. (this is a fucking good song and an amazing album so please listen to it)

Maître Gims. "Est-ce que tu m'aimes ? (Pilule Bleu)." _Mon c_ _œ_ _ur avait raison_ , Wati B., Sony Music, 2015. (I translated the last half of the chorus but I decided to put the citation in anyway just in case. Also as a song rec.)

Seo Taiji and Boys. "Come Back Home." _Seotaiji and Boys IV,_ Bando Eumban, Yedang Company, 1995.

Peking Duk. "Say My Name (feat. Benjamin Joseph)." _Songs to Sweat to -EP_ , RCA & Sony Music Entertainment, 2015.

Everything Everything. "To the Blade." _Get To Heaven (Deluxe Version)_ , Geffen, RCA, Vinyl Junkie, Cult Records, 2015.

Grégoire. "Toi + Moi." _Toi + Moi,_ My Major Company, 2008.

(adding citations because I'm not a pleb and plagiarism is not cool kids lol)

I would really appreciate if you guys review! And if you'd like to check out my other fic, I welcome you to it!


	2. Chapter 2

Lately, Aladdin has been distracted while talking to Marid. Sometimes, he'll trail off in the middle of a sentence, looking past Marid's shoulder. Afterwards, he'll flush and get embarrassed but try to continue talking as if nothing had happened. On the one hand, Marid thinks it's cute when Aladdin is flustered. On the other, he wants to know what's bothering his friend ( _and crush_ , his reptilian brain adds).

"But I think that I may try and find him," Aladdin says. He's gesturing quickly with his hands while he talks about his best friend. Marid loves it when he does that. He likes how much he cares about other people. "It's been so long since I've seen Alibaba and…" he trails off, his eyes flickering past Marid's ear. His cheeks pink and he clears his throat, finishing with a quieter: "I just really miss him."

"What happened to Alibaba anyway? You said he went away, but you didn't tell me why. Did you guys have a falling out or something?" Marid asks.

"I mean, kind of?" Aladdin says, looking kind of awkward at the question. "He had a falling out with Hakuryuu and had to go away for a while. So, did Hakuryuu's best friend, Judar. But now they're both back and I want to find Alibaba."

"What about Judar? I haven't seen any new guys hanging around your group."

"Oh, I don't like Judar," Aladdin says, making a face. "It's mean to say, but he's very selfish and rude. The first time we met he punched me in the face. Normally I'm someone who would forgive and forget, but I was just a kid and he just does things like that all the time."

"He _punched_ you?" Marid exclaims. He decides that if he ever meets that Judar guy, he's gonna throw down. "How old were you guys?"

"Well, I was like ten and he was about eighteen."

" _What_?! That's even worse than like two kids hitting each other."

"Yeah, like I said. He's not my favorite person," Aladdin says. He gives Marid a look. "And I know what you're thinking. _No_ , you don't have to try to beat him up if you meet him."

Marid scoffs. "I don't know _what_ would give you the idea that I'd try to beat him up."

Aladdin gives him another pointed look. "We literally first talked because you threatened to beat up some dude that wanted to punch me."

"What was I supposed to do!" Marid says, throwing up his hands before dropping them down where they rested on the grass the two boys were laying on. "I wasn't going to let him mess up that pretty face of yours."

"P-Pretty…?" Aladdin stutters, his face becoming redder than it was before. Marid feels his cheeks starting to heat up as well, but he plays it off.

"Uh, yeah, that's what I said," he glances away and then back towards Aladdin. He makes sure Aladdin sees him squint his eyes, look him up and down, before he smiles. "Yeah, you're definitely a pretty guy."

Aladdin covers his cheeks with his hands, flopping down on the ground next to Marid. He had been sitting up while talking about Alibaba. "You're too much sometimes. You can't just _say_ things like that."

"Why not? It's the truth," Marid says, waggling his eyebrows. "Or do you want me to list out the features I find pretty?"

" _Marid._ "

"I will!" Marid turns on his side to look into Aladdin's eyes. Aladdin purses his lips, and there's a daring look in his eyes as if he thinks Marid won't do it. But Marid will. Aladdin makes him feel like telling the truth. "For one, your eyes."

"Dear God, are you serious right now?"

"Totally! I'm doing this," Aladdin groans and rolls his eyes. Marid continues. "Your eyes are the first thing I noticed about you. They're beautiful. When I went up to that guy, it was because I recognized you."

"This is so embarrassing," Aladdin groans.

Marid laughs. "Hey, _I'm_ the one doing all the hard work. Take the compliments. Anyway, moving on -I really like your face, like in general. It's a _nice_ face. Pretty."

"That's descriptive."

"Okay fine, since you asked for it-."

"No, Marid, I made a mistake!"

"You have a _cute_ nose and great cheekbones and a nice forehead. Like just in general, you have good bone structure," Marid doesn't know what he's doing this _what the fuck? This is so not platonic_. "And you have a pretty neck too -it's slender but strong. And I like this," he reaches you ( _what the fuuuck?_ ) and puts a finger on Aladdin's collarbone, where it juts out. Aladdin gulps, staring down cross-eyed at Marid's hand. "I don't know what it is about it," he articulates his words with taps against the bone. He clicks his tongue, looking down at Aladdin's collarbone with fascination. He's had a few (read: a _lot_ ) of fantasies about his collarbone. "I just like it."

Aladdin takes in a deep breath. "Thanks." He looks away then his eyes trail up and down Marid. "I think you're pretty too."

Marid feels himself blush. His finger is still on Aladdin's collarbone, but it's just resting there. His eyes trail up from Aladdin's neck and shoulders to his face again, landing and staying on his lips. Their faces are close. Marid wets his own. "I really like this, but it's not my favorite thing."

"What's your favorite thing?" Aladdin's voice is quiet. The moment is intimate.

Marid gulps, thinking _your lips_ but he doesn't say it, his words caught in his throat. He doesn't know why he can't say it, when he's said so much more. Drawing attention to the way he likes Aladdin's lips is… too conspicuous. "Uhm. Well." He tears his eyes away from Aladdin's lips and looks him in the eyes with a sideways smile. Their faces are close. "I like all of you."

Aladdin hums, meeting Marid's eyes. "I appreciate it. No one's ever told me that I'm pretty before."

"That can't be true," Marid says. "Am I the only man with eyes in the whole world?"

"You're the only man with eyes who's seen me," Aladdin responds, carefully and quietly. Marid sucks in a deep breath. Their faces are close.

"I do see you," Marid says with feeling, the words falling from his lips without prompting. Their faces are close.

 _Kiss him_ , his brain commands. At this distance, he could kiss Aladdin. He's leaning slightly over the other boy, propped up on an elbow and Aladdin's looking at him with those doe-eyes, blue, blue, _blue_ and Marid likes him _so much_. _But I can't kiss him_ , Marid thinks. _If he doesn't like me, I can't kiss him_.

Marid doesn't know where Aladdin's feelings stand.

He knows where he wants Aladdin's feelings to stand.

He wants Aladdin to like him, too.

* * *

Marid takes a deep breath, closing his eyes, butterflies swimming in his stomach. He raises his hand to knock on the door but pauses. He wishes he didn't feel compelled to do this, but he doesn't have any control over himself these days. It makes him off-kilter. He raps on the door three times, then steps back, ready to bolt. A woman opens the door. She has long dark hair, pulled to the side over one shoulder and warm brown eyes.

"Hello, how can I help you?" she asks. She has a dark, rumbling voice.

"U-Um. I know Jamil," he says. "He offered me a place to stay for the night."

Understanding lights in her eyes. "I see. You must be Marid. Please come in." she opens the door wider and Marid can feel the warmth waft onto his skin. It's approaching winter and there's been a breeze. She takes one look at him in the light of the house and lets out a breath. "Are you hungry?"

Marid's stomach twists, because he _is_. He's had to start rationing food more than before and it shows. He sees the way Layale and Halima look at him when he stumbles. He knows that Khadija's noticed his lowering tolerance. Even Hisham's made a passing comment about getting some fat on his bones. He doesn't like the way Aladdin's eyes catch on the sharp points of his shoulders and his bony knees. He doesn't want to base his health on Aladdin's opinion, but is it so wrong to start looking for health because he's spurred on by a need to be healthy _for_ someone? He's only sixteen.

"I know it's rude, but I would appreciate something to eat," he says. She nods.

"It's not rude at all. Please, follow me."

He follows.

* * *

Aladdin has been staying until close for the past few weeks, saying he doesn't want to miss any more of Marid's music and that he doesn't have anything better to do. While the first part may be true (since Aladdin has proclaimed himself a loyal fan), Marid knows the second is _not_. Not with the way Hakuryuu looks at him when he says he's staying later and he can head back. Not with the way Morgiana will stand around behind him until she makes an exasperated expression and heads out on her own, telling him to be safe pointedly.

Aladdin stands around next to the door, watching the employees bustle around and Marid put away his oud and help out when Marid sees Layale sidle over to him. Immediately, seized by fear of his secret being revealed, starts to speed walk over to him. He gets there just as Layale goes:

"So, you must be _Aladdin_ ," in _that_ voice. The kind of voice that implies a knowing wink and chuckle with an accompanying eyebrow wiggle. Aladdin laughs.

"Yeah, sorry. I normally wait for Marid."

Layale legitimately wiggles her eyebrows. "Oh, we are _all_ aware."

"Layale," Marid says, warningly as he gets there. Aladdin looks at him with confusion about the entire situation.

"Marid, I just want to say that you were _right_ about how _cute_ Aladdin is," Layale says conspiratorially. Aladdin looks shook. Marid doesn't know what to say other than a whining _Layale_.

"Uh, thanks, miss," Aladdin stutters. "Marid are you ready to go?"

" _Yes_ ," Marid says emphatically. In his haste, he grabs Aladdin's hand and drags him out of the building and onto the streets, the door closing as Layale yells loudly: " _They're holding hands!_ "

With a blush on his cheeks, Marid stops walking and turns to Aladdin, letting go of his hands. He clasps his behind his back and rocks on his heels. "Uh, sorry about that. She's a little overzealous."

Aladdin takes in Marid's generally embarrassed countenance and a sly smile spreads across his face. "Oh, so you told her I'm cute, huh?"

Marid's face becomes redder. He holds his breath and puffs out his cheeks. Well, he might as well just admit it. He steels himself and looks at Aladdin, still too embarrassed to look him completely in the eyes. "Yeah? So? It's true. Maybe your cuteness is too much to handle so I have to share it with someone."

Aladdin laughs. "Well, I think you're pretty cute too. Like right now. You're so red."

Marid frowns, his heart thumping in his ears. " _So?_ I'm embarrassed!"

Aladdin laughs again and steps closer to him, knocking their shoulders together. "Aw, see? That's so cute. I like seeing you flustered."

"That's sadistic," Marid pouts. Aladdin scoffs.

"Oh yeah? And what about everything you say to me, huh? ' _Oh, Aladdin, you're so pretty! Let me list all of your traits that I find attractive and the stroke your collarbone_!'"

Marid jumps up and down, groaning. "Don't bring that up it was so embarrassing! I just don't have any self-control when I'm around you."

Aladdin mutters something that sounds like _maybe you have to much self-control when you're around me_ but Marid may be projecting and also what would that even mean?

"Anyway, I _totally_ have the right to embarrass you after that," Aladdin says. He leans towards Marid. "So, Marid, you wanna hear everything I like about you?"

So much blood is rushing to Marid's head that he thinks he's going to explode. Aladdin takes his silence as acquiescence. "The first thing _I_ noticed about you were your hands," Aladdin takes them into his and Marid lets him play with his fingers. "I like them. You have the hands of an artist."

"They're covered in callouses," Marid says. Aladdin looks up at him, a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, so?" he continues. "And I like your smile. You have a very expressive face even if you don't think that you do. You show so much emotion when you play your music. I like your eyes, too. You also have long eyelashes, so it's pretty when you close your eyes."

"This is so embarrassing."

"Mhmm," Aladdin hums. "I also like this," he taps on Marid's collarbone. It feels weird and Marid has to suppress a shudder. Aladdin seem to have a thought on his mind, debating whether or not to say it. Marid wants to know what it is. They're close, their toes touching. He and Aladdin are almost the same height, with Aladdin being slightly taller. Aladdin strokes his hand across Marid's collarbone, softly, barely touching it. Marid closes his eyes and bites his bottom lip. Quietly, Aladdin says. "I think about it a lot."

" _God_ ," Marid curses. The word leaving him with a swell of emotion. Aladdin's cheeks are pink, too, but he seems set on what he's doing. "I think about yours, too. I don't know if I said that last week."

The blush on Aladdin's cheeks gets a bit darker. "You didn't."

"Well, I do," Marid says softly. Aladdin pulls away slightly.

"Marid," he says, his voice suddenly unsure. "What is this? Between us?"

"I-I," Marid starts but stops. "I don't know. Does it need a name?"

Aladdin's hands move to Marid's shoulders, tracing along them and down his arms. Marid leans closer into him. He wants to curl his hands around Aladdin's and never let go.

"I don't know, either. But I like it," Aladdin whispers. "I like the way I feel when I'm with you."

* * *

 _Marid is a traveler. That's what he'd tell you if you asked. He doesn't like staying in one place. In some deep recess of his mind, he's haunted by a slamming door and a scream. A fear of 'I can't take care of you anymore.' A fear of being left when someone is finished with him._

 _He tells stories with his music because they can stay with him, live inside of him. He writes lyrics but doesn't sing them because those words are his. He plays his story through the strings of his oud because he can't bring himself to say it out loud. The story is trapped inside his bones._

 _Marid is a traveler, constantly travelling away from himself._

* * *

"How did you realize you were in love?" Marid asks Jamil one day when the two of them are about to leave for the bar. Jamil stops walking, looking at Marid with surprise.

"Is this about that boy with the braid?"

Marid nods, feeling shy.

"Well, technically my wife and I had an arranged marriage," Jamil says. "But I do love her. I had to learn it after we were married, though."

"But how do you know?"

"I trust her," Jamil says. "I feel like I can tell her anything, come to her if I need it. I want her to be able to do that with me as well. I want to be around her and stay by her side, no matter what happens, as long as she will have me. I want to start a family with her. I want to hold her. I want to do other things with her as well, and no one else. Though that last bit of information may be too much."

"No, it's actually really helpful," he blushes. "I feel that way about Aladdin."

"Do you think he likes you, too?" Jamil asks.

Marid shrugs, remembering a few nights ago, Aladdin's whispered words and his soft caresses. "Maybe... I don't want to make any assumptions."

"You could always ask," Jamil suggests.

"No! I wouldn't want to make it awkward if he doesn't," Marid sighs. "Feelings are hard."

Jamil nods. "They are. I had it a bit easier since I was forced to marry my wife."

"I wrote a song about him," Marid says, quietly. They're almost to the bar.

"Are you going to sing it to him?"

"I shouldn't," Marid sighs. "He always sees through my songs. He'd know."

"You also aren't very subtle," Jamil says. "That's how we all found out about your crush. Even Old Man Hisham knows."

Marid flushes. "I know. I can't help it. I haven't ever liked someone this much before."

"There's certainly a novelty in finding someone to love," Jamil says. "Would you want me to listen to the song?"

"Maybe," Marid says noncommittally. He's not sure if could articulate it to Jamil. He thinks that tonight he'll figure out the chords.

* * *

Normally, Aladdin comes almost every night to the bar and then walks with Marid out until they need to part ways. Sometimes, if they want to keep talking, the two of them will lay down in a field together and chat about everything they can think of to talk about. But for the past few nights, Aladdin has been long gone. Marid knows that Aladdin isn't upset with him because he hasn't seen his two friends either. Maybe the three of them left.

 _Would Aladdin leave me without saying anything?_ Marid wonders. His strums a few dissonant chords. _Maybe it's better this way. If he's not around me anymore, I can stop feeling again._ Marid meets eyes with Jamil, who's giving customers some food. He looks at Layale who's mixing drinks behind the bar. To Halima and Khadija. _Is feeling things so bad?_

Marid remembers why but he can't remember how to hate them.

* * *

 _And I've moved further than I thought I could,_

 _But I miss you more than I thought I would._

… _And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be_

 _Right in front of me, talk some sense to me._

Marid thinks these words over and over, repeating through his head like a mantra he can't contain. _I miss him_ , he thinks. _I miss him, I miss him._

The door to the bar opens. Marid thinks those words again, as he plays. He looks up.

* * *

"So, _this_ is Alibaba," Marid says as he meets Aladdin's best friend for the first time. Alibaba is not what he had expected. Maybe a little plain, but he carries himself with an awkwardness that Aladdin hadn't mentioned. Marid had been picturing someone with more self-confidence, though he does have to say that he enjoys the hilarity that seems to follow Alibaba wherever he goes, usually stemming from second-hand embarrassment. "I didn't realize you were with Morgiana."

Alibaba smiles proudly. "Yeah, she's my girlfriend. We're gonna get married."

"Congratulations," Marid says with a smile. "I wish you guys all the happiness in the world."

"Thanks. And you're Marid, right?" Alibaba asks. "Aladdin told me about you when we met back up again. It's nice to see that he's made a friend, though _I'm_ still his best one."

Marid laughs. "Of course, I wouldn't ever want to usurp that from you. Aladdin really cares about you. I'm more of a side character in his narrative."

"I wouldn't say _that_ ," Hakuryuu comments, sitting down at the table next to them. "He cares about you."

Marid blushes. "That's cool. I really care about him, too."

The two men share a look with each other. Hakuryuu laments, apostrophic, "When will it be my turn to find someone to love?"

"Maybe you just aren't looking in the right place," Marid comments. Alibaba nods.

"Maybe there's someone who already loves you and you just don't know it."

"Like _who_?" Hakuryuu says with a frown. Alibaba shifts around like he's hiding something.

"I don't know," he says shiftily, seeming to enjoy teasing Hakuryuu, "but I know there's _someone_."

Hakuryuu frowns deeply at him. "You are infuriating, Alibaba."

"What are you three talking about?" Aladdin pipes in, pulling up a chair. He sets down a drink in front of Marid. Marid's favorite. Marid smiles at him in thanks and Aladdin's cheeks seem to flush. The magician looks between his old friends and Marid, seeming a bit wary about what they could be talking about.

"Alibaba was teasing Hakuryuu for having no one to love him," Marid explains.

"I see," Aladdin says with a sideways smile. He seems happy that his friends are getting along. Marid doesn't know what their fallout was about, but it sounded like it was probably pretty bad. "I'm glad it wasn't anything serious."

"Can we go back to teasing Alibaba about Morgiana? He's the one getting engaged, after all," Hakuryuu says.

"How about we tease Aladdin instead," Alibaba suggests, leaning forward on his elbows. Aladdin blushes a deep red. There's more color in his cheeks than Marid had ever seen before.

"What would we have to tease Aladdin about?" Marid asks, genuinely unsure. Alibaba wiggles his eyebrows at him. _Does Alibaba know about my crush on Aladdin?_ Marid wonders, not sure what that would mean. Marid then remembers the context of the situation. _Does Aladdin have a crush on me?_

"I agree with Hakuryuu, let's tease Alibaba," Aladdin interjects. "So, you ready for the responsibilities of a married man?"

"What responsibilities?" Alibaba asks through a mouthful of food and drink.

"You know," Aladdin leans forward, slyly, " _night time responsibilities_."

"You're too young to know about that!" Alibaba croaks loudly, flushing. He rounds on Hakuryuu. " _What have you been teaching him_?"

Hakuryuu holds up his hands. "It's not my fault! It's Marid's!"

"Whoa now," Marid says. "What does _that_ mean?"

" _Hakuryuu_ ," Aladdin hisses. Hakuryuu shrugs, seeing unaffected. There's a general panic as Aladdin tries to change the subject back to Alibaba being (apparently) a complete prude (not that that's a bad thing, Marid says to them). Marid sits back and watches it. Snippets of conversations filter back through his mind. _Too much self-control, I think about these, I like the way I feel_.

He remembers the hooded and heavy look in Aladdin's eyes when they had stood, toe to toe, in the street. The way Aladdin's hands had trailed down Marid's arms.

 _Huh_ , Marid thinks.

* * *

"So, what's a magi?" Marid asks, recalling the word that Hakuryuu calls Aladdin. "I know about magicians, of course, but not magi."

Aladdin looks a bit awkward. "I guess you could say I'm a… special magician."

"Special how?" Marid had always wished as a kid that he was able to use magic. Maybe his life would have been different, then.

"People say that magi are those who are loved by the rukh," Aladdin explains. "There are only four of us in the world."

"That sounds important," Marid hums. "If you're so important why are you all the way on the edge of the world?"

"I'm not exactly… welcome in Uncle Sinbad's world," Aladdin says sheepishly. _Uncle Sinbad?_ Marid thinks. "My power is connected to the djinn and it makes me a king-maker. Uncle Sinbad wanted me to be his magi, but I wouldn't do it. Alibaba's my king."

"I take it you know Sinbad well, then?" Marid asks. _Who is this guy? Have I been cavorting with someone who's super important? What the hell?_

"Yeah, though I don't know if anyone can _really_ know Uncle Sinbad," Aladdin says, still sounding awkward and sheepish. "I wasn't trying to hide it from you. I just wanted to be a normal sixteen year old for once without the weight of the world on my shoulders. I wanted you to like me for me, not my power."

"Honestly, even knowing this, I still just like you for you because I know shit all about magic," Marid says, bluntly. Aladdin lets out a laugh full of nerves at his assertion.

"That's actually really comforting to hear."

"So, what makes your magic so special? Being loved by the rukh? What does _that_ mean?"

"Well, rukh is the energy of everyone's souls. It grants magic ability or the ability to use a djinn," Aladdin says. "I can see it. Other people can't see it."

"You can like. See people's souls?" Marid asks with raised eyebrows. _That's cool._ "What does mine say?"

Aladdin flushes red. Marid blushes in response and holds up a hand, cutting Aladdin off before he could say anything.

"Is this going to make me feel embarrassed?"

"Probably," Aladdin says. "And it's not your _soul_ , per se. Rukh is just kind of. A part of everything. It can give me some information about people, but it's very vague. Just like… certain strong emotions. The way you feel about people, how the rukh changes when you're around others. Things like that."

"Oh God," Marid whispers because he _knows_. Marid knows that Aladdin _knows_.

"But it's not bad! At first, I was confused about it, but now I agree and my rukh is the same as yours when I'm around you," Aladdin says. "I didn't realize that certain things could happen but then I did and I accepted it and I, you know, want it."

"I'm going to go out on a limb here," Marid starts, "and make some assumptions. So, this whole time, you've known that I like you and you didn't know that boys could like boys but now that you realize you like me and that it's okay you want to keep liking me?" Marid knows that his face is red, red, red. _I just confessed!_ He thinks, _Kind of!_

Aladdin nods, looking shy. "I liked you before we talked for the first time, I think. At least, I was fascinated by you. And then it just kind of… developed. Now I _really_ like you."

"Then why haven't you said anything? You have way less to lose than me! You _knew_ that I liked you! Like intrinsically!"

"Well! I couldn't just _say_ something and I _tried_ to make moves on you and make you make moves on me but you just _wouldn't_. I know you were going to kiss me that night," Aladdin says fiercely. "I wanted you to. I tried to recreate that moment but it didn't work. I got too distracted by your body."

"Wow," Marid says, shocked. "I was trying not to project my feelings onto you, though I have been wondering if you liked me too."

"I do," Aladdin says, his expression a little dopey as he looks at Marid. "I do like you."

"I like you too," Marid says. He feels his heart fluttering. He shuffles a bit. "What now?"

"You could kiss me," Aladdin says. He looks over the shyness in Marid's face and smiles fondly. "Or I could kiss _you_."

Their faces are close, Marid notices. "Please," he says, like a prayer. Aladdin leans forward, closing the gap between them, meeting in a sunburst of feeling. It's short and sweet and soft, like the way you caress something precious. Aladdin's hands come up to hold Marid's face and Marid shuts his eyes at the sensation. Marid feels _loved_. Marid feels like he is something precious. Its short and too soon, their sunburst dims and Aladdin pulls back, but his hands are still on Marid's cheeks. They move down to his neck, tangling in the edges of his shorter hair. Aladdin leans forward, resting his forehead against Marid's.

Marid breathes out shakily. "I liked that. I wanted to kiss you so bad."

Aladdin lets out a snort of laughter. He raises his eyes to stare into Marid's. Marid's never been this close to someone else. "I _still_ want to kiss you so bad."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Marid asks, leaning forward into his lips. They kiss again, this time longer and slower, it's still sweet but there's a hint of something, a heat that burns deep within them. They're both young and too afraid to let it out, scared it will consume them, so they keep their caresses soft and short. They hold each other close, Marid puts his hands around Aladdin's waist and Aladdin rests his on his shoulders. Marid's not sure how long they stand there, in the moonlight, the early dawn, kissing in the road outside of the bar but he never wants it to stop.

Eventually, it winds down and they stand there, holding hands.

Aladdin sighs. "I'm not sure how to say this, but I may have to go away soon."

"Oh," Marid says. _I can't take care of you anymore. Slam. Scream._

"But I'm coming back for you," Aladdin says. "I have to save the world from Sinbad and then I'm coming back for you."

"You are?" Marid asks, his voice cracking at the whiplash of emotion. Fear. Resolution. "You'd come back for me?"

"Always, always," Aladdin repeats. "I'd take you with me, but it's too dangerous. I know that you think you can protect me from everything, but things are happening that even _I_ don't understand. When I come back, I'll tell you everything. When I come back, we'll finally both be free to be together."

"I don't really understand what all that means, but it'll be super cool to say that my future boyfriend saved the world," Marid says. Aladdin smiles against his mouth when he says the word _boyfriend_. "I'm holding you to that promise though. That you'll come back, not just for me, but in general. If you get killed in whatever dangerous situation, I'll never forgive you."

Aladdin pulls back and looks at him with resolve stronger than Marid has seen in anyone else. "You don't have to worry about it. I'm going to _win_."

"Okay," Marid says, he's baffled and unsure what to say at the show of confidence. Aladdin kisses his hand.

"I'm going to win, and then I'm coming back for you."

* * *

That's the end of chapter two!

Amber Run. "I Found." _5am_. RCA Records, Sony Music Entertainment, 2015.

I only used one song but that was mostly because citing's a bitch and I was like 'eh :/ guess I just won't quote as much as last time.'

There's one more chapter left after this one!

I was gonna edit this and then I was like 'nah.' I'll come back and do it later :)

I hope you guys liked it and I would LOVE a review ;)


	3. Chapter 3

_Return to the rukh_.

The thought hits Marid suddenly and without ceasing. _Return to the rukh._ Intrinsically, he knows that means death. The rukh _is_ death. _Return to the rukh_ means _kill yourself_. Marid sits up in the bed he was given in Jamil's house, sweat piercing through his skin and sliding down like knives. The thought will not cease. _Return to the rukh. Return to the rukh. Return to the rukh._ Marid had been dreaming about his reunion with Aladdin. Aladdin floated down from the sky and they embraced and stayed together forever and at Morgiana's wedding, Marid caught the bouquet and he and Aladdin got _married_. But now it's just - _Return to the rukh. Return to the rukh return to the rukh return to-_

Marid covers his ears with his hands. He doesn't want to hear this. Marid's tried to kill himself before, in the desert when he'd given up. Lonely. Abandoned. Alone. Abased by the universe. He'd laid his oud on the ground next to him, and taken a knife, ready to drive it into his throat. But he could never find the right time to take the final step. Marid _knows_ what it's like to try to kill yourself, to desire something beyond the physical plain, Marid _knows_. This feeling that is lodged in his chest is not his feeling.

 _If I kill myself, I'll never see Aladdin again._

 _I'll never buy a new oud._

 _I'll never write a song again._

 _ **The pain will end.**_

 _ **But I don't want it to end like**_ _ **this**_ _._

* * *

He'd been teetering on the edge of the abyss for years. Teeter-totter. One wrong step, one heavy breeze.

He looks into the abyss and chooses and falls backwards into it.

* * *

There's a certain liberation that comes from being the only one left in the village that doesn't want to return to the rukh. Marid is used to being on the outside, though before it was because of his past, now it's because of a choice. Wanting to stay alive and alone more than wanting to die with everyone else and join the great flow.

 _Is this what Aladdin was talking about, when he said he needed to save the world?_ Marid wonders to himself as he eats the food Jamil's wife, Noor, made. The two of them are smiling and crying, talking about returning. Jamil laments that now they will never start a family. Noor says that this way, they will always be together. Marid stays quiet. These are not their real feelings. He knows that. Something is forcing them to say these things, to want to return -that's what the look on their faces means. They don't really _want_ to.

Marid wonders if it's Sinbad. He's in control of the _entire_ world. The CEO of the Sindria Trading Company, the president of the World Alliance. Is it so much of a reach to think that he's now in control of their minds? Marid doesn't think so.

 _Does Aladdin want to return as well?_

 _No, he's a magi. That has to make him different. He's already different. What about the rest? Morgiana, Hakuryuu, Alibaba?_ Marid hopes that they're all safe, wherever they are, whatever they're doing.

There's a scream from outside, loud and raucous. Marid bolts from the table and goes out, followed by Jamil and Noor. Across the street, lays the body of a young man, his head turned the wrong way, blood seeping out of it and onto the ground. Marid covers his mouth, aghast.

The people surrounding his body, going to look, are crying and laughing. _They're happy_. Marid is disgusted. _They can't help it, they can't help it,_ he thinks, trying to reassure himself.

"He's returned to the rukh! He's returned to the rukh!" everyone starts chanting and screaming. They do nothing about the body, too excited about his demise.

"Should we do that?" Jamil asks Noor. Marid whips his head around to stare at the two. Noor shrugs.

"Are we allowed to choose how we go?"

"No," Marid says, emphatically. "You don't get to choose. I do. You have to wait for the rukh to choose you."

Jamil and Noor look at one another. Noor crosses her arms. "How do you know that, Marid?"

"Because Aladdin told me," Marid lies. "He's a magi. That means he's loved by the rukh. He can speak to it. That's why I know I can't return yet. The rukh will take you when it's time."

Jamil scratches his bearded chin. "Hmm. I mean, it's not like you'd lie to us. Your name is Al-Ameen, after all."

Marid feels guilt encircle his soul. _But this is the right decision, otherwise, they would kill themselves_. "Exactly. Trust me. I wouldn't lead you astray."

The couple goes back to the table to finish eating. Marid feels sick to his stomach. He looks outside. The body of the dead man is still there. No one felt the need to take care of it, not now that his soul had returned to the great flow.

Marid goes outside and grabs a shovel. He closes his eyes, steels himself, and then takes the man's hands in his, dragging him away. He takes him outside the town and goes back for the shovel. He starts to dig.

* * *

 _As bodies broken buried deep as raw emotions speak_

 _And on this Earth, it's I alone_

Marid thinks these words as he washes the dirt from his body, bathing the reek and scent of death from him. He'd taken care of the body. It's the least he could do for the man who'd gone too soon, without wanting to. Forced to take his own life.

* * *

Marid feels something deep and dark stirring within him as he thinks about it. A rage toward the world, toward the system. It's the same rage he'd felt when he'd first felt those words within him _return to the rukh_. But Marid is free now, he just wants to free everyone else, too.

The sky opens and warriors pour out of it. Marid, feels dread. People run towards them, looking for salvation. Marid can't stand it. _Run the other way_ , he thinks. _Don't leave them_. But he can't take them with him. He can't save himself and them.

 _Run away._

 _I can't take care of them anymore_. Marid understands his mother. He doesn't have the power to take care of them.

 _They'll kill you_.

Marid takes his oud and sprints out of Jamil's house as the angels come to tear it down. He sprints and doesn't look back.

* * *

He leaves the region, gets as far as he can from the black tear in the sky. He only rests when he can't run anymore, falls into the dunes that he'd lived in before. He knows the desert. He can survive there. Heliohapt is nearby, he knows that.

 _Can I rest? Or do I need to keep running?_ He stares up into the dazzling sky, watching how the hole in the sky seems to get bigger with each passing second. _This is the return to the rukh._

 _What terrifying final sights put out your beating heart?_ He sings to himself. His legs tremble where he lies. He can't help himself. He ran for so long. He's been running for so long. The tear in the sky grows closer to him. He can see figures spilling from it, going towards Heliohapt. The darkness is close.

 _Get up. Get up. Get up._ He wills himself to move, his heart beating frantically in his chest. He heaves himself up, stumbling in the sad. He grabs his oud and starts to move again, stumbling and tripping over himself. He's so tired. He keeps going, moving, escaping. He can't go towards Heliohapt. Not when those things are there. He doesn't know where else to go. His eyes start to flutter closed as he keeps going. He's so tired. He stumbles again, his hands not able to brace himself from face-planting in the dirt. He spits sand out of his mouth with a _fuck_ and starts to try to get up again. His body is unruly. There's sand in his oud. _I'm definitely going to need a new one -if I'm able to survive this_.

He's able to stand once more, swaying as he locks his knees and breathes deeply. He's run for so long. _I don't want to run anymore._ He looks behind him, stumbling, dizzy, and blinks as the darkness approaches, a slow crawl through the sky. He turns his attention to Heliohapt, the sky has overtaken it. There's a large blast of fire and suddenly the sky stops. Marid stumbles towards it. _Is it being stopped? Is Aladdin there, stopping this?_

Marid wishes he knew what was going on. He starts to stumble towards the border of Heliohapt. _Will they help me there?_ He eyes the darkened sky warily. He's not sure how long he walks, staggering through the dunes. Thirsty. Hot. Blinded by the wind and sand and heat. He knows he can't stop. If he stops, he won't be able to start again.

" _Marid_?"

 _I'm hallucinating_ , Marid thinks. He turns towards the voice. A specter of Aladdin floats towards him. It looks just like him. The wind blows his clothes. He has a staff in his hand. He looks haggard. Tired. _I'm tired_ , Marid thinks.

"Marid," Aladdin repeats, landing in front of him. Marid stumbles towards the specter and falls into it. Aladdin catches him. _Real. Warm_ , Marid thinks. Wants. "Marid, what happened to your rukh?"

"I didn't want to go," Marid says, tears filling his eyes. "I didn't want to go with them."

Aladdin's arms encircle him, comforting. Marid can't raise his own. He's too tired. "You fell into depravity."

"I don't care," Marid says. "I'd rather that than be killed by those statue things. I'd rather that than lose my voice. I'd rather that than never see you again. I wanted to wait for you."

Aladdin shudders, holding Marid tighter. Marid sniffles, crying. He'd missed Aladdin. He'd missed closeness. He'd missed being able to talk to someone without them wanting to die. He'd missed _this_. "I was coming back for you. I was so scared when everyone's rukh was manipulated."

"I got out," Marid reassures him, his voice thick. "I got out and now I'm free from that control. I don't understand what happened, but I'm free."

"You chewed off your own leg," Aladdin says, "like a trapped animal."

"But I'm free," Marid says.

"You're free," Aladdin agrees, sounding choked up. "When I felt your rukh, I came running. But I have other things I need to do."

"What do you need to do?"

"I have to stop David."

"Who's that?" Marid asks. First Sinbad, now David?

Aladdin pulls back. He brushes the tears away from Marid's cheeks. Marid wonders what he looks like. Probably worse for wear. Aladdin leans forward and kisses him. Marid responds in kind. He'd missed the taste of Aladdin's lips. They part. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. Um, David's my grandfather. I'll tell you the full story when everything's over, but basically, he'd been controlling Sinbad to make a whole bunch of bad decisions and so I have to defeat him now. Sinbad's trying to defeat him but he's having some issues. That's what all this is," he gestures to the sky. "I have to go back to the Great Rift. I'm the only one who can."

"I think I need more backstory," Marid says, "but you do what you need to do. I believe in you. I'll like, stay here. On this sand dune."

"Here," Aladdin says, he mutters a spell that Marid can't understand before a large water skin appears before him. "So, you don't die of dehydration. This shouldn't last much longer. I'll be back for you then."

"Okay," Marid says, slumping down into the sand. Aladdin leans over and steals another kiss. Marid hums against his lips happily.

"For good luck," he says, cheekily. Marid grins at him.

"I know you'll win," he says. Aladdin kisses his forehead before he backs up, says some words that Marid can't understand, and disappears.

Marid takes a long gulp from the skin and watches as it refills with water. _Huh. Nifty._ He stays sitting up because it wouldn't be a good idea to lay down with the wind. He looks up at the sky and sighs.

* * *

 _Just how strong the memories remain_

 _In a reverie of pain_

 _Insane –I'm not fine…_

 _I'm yours, however distant you may be!_

"Distant? I'm right here," Aladdin laughs. The boys sit next to one another around the fire. Around them are survivors, friends. Alibaba, Morgiana, Hakuryuu, Judar, some others that Marid doesn't know as well.

"Wait, the two of you are _together_?" Judar asks looking for lack of a better word gobsmacked.

The boys look at each other before they look at him and nod. "Huh," Judar says, hands on his hips. He gets a nasty look on his face. "Seriously Aladdin? I can't have anything? Stop copying me!"

" _Copying_?" Aladdin says. Judar leans over and ruffles his hair, messing it up. Aladdin grumbles, trying to fix it, but there's a smile on his face. Marid guesses that without the whole 'magi' thing, the two have developed a more brotherly relationship. It's cute. This whole family thing is cute. Marid remembers the people he loved and closes his eyes as a wave of pain and sadness washes over him. _Jamil. Noor. Layale. Khadija. Halima. Hisham._

 _Gone._

* * *

Marid plops down on the long cushion, pulling Aladdin to sit down with him. He wraps his arms around his waist. "I honestly have no idea how I survived all that."

Aladdin rolls his eyes. "Don't say that."

"I'm serious! All I do is play music. I have no muscles to speak of. I'm generally always kind of malnourished and I can't do any magic. Or fight with a sword."

" _Stop_ ," Aladdin says. "You survived. That's got to mean something. And besides, there's nothing wrong with not being able to do those things. Your music can bring people joy. That's better than any warrior can say."

"Yeah, but—"

"No buts. You're awesome just the way you are," Aladdin says. He lays his head down on Marid's chest. Marid holds him tightly. The two are staying in Alibaba's house while trying to help repair the world after the final battle. Aladdin had told the story to Marid after all was said and done, but he still feels like he's missing some of the context. It's a lot to keep track of. But whatever. All he got out of it was that his boyfriend is _really fucking cool_. Which he already knew. So.

They sit in silence for a while before Marid hums. "I think I want to go back to that village. To see if anyone was able to survive."

Aladdin sits up slightly, looking at his boyfriend's face. "You feel guilty."

Marid sighs, averting his eyes. "I guess. I just _ran_ as soon as those statue things started to come out of the sky and stab people. They tore Jamil's house to the ground. I know it's not likely anyone lived, but… Is it bad for me to hope that someone did?"

 _Halima. Khadija. Layale. Hisham. Jamil. Noor._ People Marid cared about. Loved. People who had become a family to him -gone. Forever. Aladdin kisses his forehead, seeing the sadness on his face. Marid leans into it, closing his eyes. He's so soft for Aladdin. What the hell.

"If you want to go, I won't stop you," Aladdin says. "But I'd ask if I could go with. To be there for you, in case you need someone."

Marid sits up slightly. The two shift their positions so that Aladdin is laying mostly on top of Marid, in between his legs on the cushion. Marid's hands rest on the small of his back. "You'd go with me? But they need you here."

Aladdin lets out a huff of breath, amused. "Of course, I'd go with you. They've needed me for the past like five to six years. I think I deserve some time to rest and spend with you."

"That's true. It sounded like the universe put you through a lot," Marid agrees. "Like you had way too much responsibility for a ten year old. I was ten once, so I would know."

Aladdin laughs at his joke, but nods. "I did take care of people who were at an age where they should've been able to care for themselves."

"You can say Alibaba, it's okay," Marid says, wiggling his eyebrows. Aladdin slaps him on the shoulder.

"Be nice to Alibaba. He's delicate."

"That's true," Marid agrees. He's learned a lot about Alibaba after living with him for a few months after the end of the world was stopped. Alibaba is a good guy, if a little possessive of his fiancée. He's got some insecurities. "I'll stop teasing him if _you_ stop playing matchmaker all the time."

"He and Mor are already together and they're in love," Aladdin comments, frowning. Marid raises his eyebrows.

"If you say so."

"What does that mean?"

"I just don't think that they're the best for each other," Marid says. "I'm happy for them and I genuinely want them to find happiness, but I'm not exactly a fan of how Alibaba treats her sometimes. Also, she kind of idolizes him and it seems like he's always trying to be someone he's not around her. I don't know. You know them better than me."

"But you have an intuition," Aladdin says. "More than I do. Now that my powers as a magi are gone, it's like I can't read people at all. I didn't realize how much my intuition and understanding of others was based upon the fact that I could read their rukh."

"You have more intuition than you give yourself credit for. You always know what to say to make me feel better," Marid reassures him. Losing his magic had been his choice but it had been hard for Aladdin in the aftermath. Aladdin makes a face.

"But that's because I _know_ you."

"Exactly. You know me and you know Alibaba and Morgiana. If you think this will be good for them, I'll defer to your judgement. I'm just stating my opinion," Marid says. He presses a kiss to Aladdin's collarbone. Aladdin smiles at him and lifts his face up by his chin, pressing a kiss to his lips. Marid leans into it and their mouths work against one another in tandem. It's soft and sweet. Lazy. They have time. Aladdin pulls back. His lips are pink.

"You know, maybe you're right. Alibaba and Morgiana still haven't kissed yet."

Marid's eyes bulge. "Really?"

Aladdin laughs and nods. "Alibaba can't figure out how to do it, and he's not even sure if he wants to."

"That's not good! They're going to get married!"

"I think he's just nervous," Aladdin sighs. "He's got anxiety."

"Well, so do I but that doesn't stop me from wanting to kiss you all the time."

Aladdin flushes. "I mean, same here. But look -Alibaba's a very different person than you or me. I'm sure he'll warm up to it."

"I still think that she would've been cuter with Hakuryuu."

"But he's in love with Judar," Aladdin cuts him off. "It would've never worked out."

"That's true," Marid hums. "Maybe everything will be okay between them. Who are we to speculate, anyway?"

"The only ones of our friends with a functioning relationship?" Aladdin responds with a light laugh. Marid hums again.

"Can't argue with that. Come here," he brings his hand to the back of Aladdin's neck and brings him down to kiss him again. Marid opens his mouth and Aladdin wastes no time moving his tongue inside. Their tongues move against one another, hot, building heat between them. Aladdin shifts, pushing upwards against Marid, moving his hands up Marid's chest and down again. The two of them hadn't done more than this yet. They don't feel a pressing urge -they have time and neither of them think that they're ready.

Aladdin pulls away and starts to mouth down Marid's neck. Marid tilts his head to the side, giving him more access. Heat gathers in his stomach, burning strong the more Aladdin kisses and nibbles. Marid's hands stroke down Aladdin's back, landing on his ass.

"Is this okay?" Marid asks, ready to take his hands off if he needed to. Aladdin pulls away from his neck with a lazy smile.

"Yes," he responds before going back down. He gets to the junction of Marid's neck and shoulder and bites. Marid lets out a noise of surprise and pleasure. He blushes darker than he already was at the treatment, embarrassed by the sound. Aladdin seems to have liked it. He sucks at the skin he'd bitten, drawing more sounds out of Marid.

"Aladdin," Marid whispers, his breathing getting heavy. The hot feeling inside of him is getting heavy too. The touches are getting heavy. "Aladdin should we stop?"

"Do you want to?" Aladdin asks, his eyes finding Marid's.

"Not really," Marid admits. Aladdin smiles at him. His lips are swollen and red. Marid's probably look the same.

"Me neither, but you're right. We probably should," Aladdin agrees. Marid rises up and presses a light kiss to his lips. When he shifts his body, he can feel a hardness press against his stomach, Aladdin blushes bright red. "Sorry. I was… a little excited."

"It's fine," Marid says, blushing as well. "I was. Am, too."

The boys laugh, embarrassed but happy. Marid watches the way his eyes and nose crinkle when he laughs. He watches the flush on his cheeks. Marid can't take his eyes off of him.

 _I think I love him_.

* * *

 _Gone._

 _Ruins._

Aladdin reaches for his hand, holding it tightly. Marid's chin trembles as he looks at the buildings. Destroyed. The bodies. Their souls –gone.

 _The blood was dry, it was sober._

 _The feeling of audible cracks, I could tell it was over…_

* * *

"Hey man, I'm sorry to hear about your family," Alibaba says, putting a hand on Marid's shoulder. The group was helping rebuild houses that had been destroyed when the world was reshaped. They were taking a break after all the heavy lifting. Marid wipes some sweat from his brow and looks up at him.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Marid says. Alibaba winces. Marid sighs. "Seriously, Alibaba. It's okay. You can't save everyone."

"I know, but it hurt you and for that, I'm sorry," he says. He sits down next to him and wiggles his eyebrows. "So, what's _that_ from." He points to the side of Marid's neck. Marid remembers the feeling of Aladdin's lips there, biting and sucking. He feels heat rush to his face and he slams his hand over what was most likely a hickey.

" _Uh_."

Alibaba laughs loudly. "So, I take it you and Aladdin have been having some fun?"

"If that's how you want to say it, sure," Marid says. He smirks at Alibaba. "You planning on kissing Morgiana anytime soon?"

Alibaba blushes deeply, fidgeting. "I-I mean. _Yes_. Eventually."

Marid laughs. "Don't feel pressured. Just -the two of you are going to get married soon, so you _might as well_ try out some things. That way you have an idea of what to do on your wedding night."

" _I know what to do on a wedding night_ ," Alibaba stutters out loudly, making Marid laugh even louder than he had been before. Alibaba groans. "Do you feel better now? Does teasing me make you feel better?"

Marid feels a little guilty, since he knows Alibaba was only trying to lighten his mood. "Yeah, it does actually," he places a hand on Alibaba's shoulder. "I'll _always_ feel better after teasing you."

"Oh great," Alibaba groans, slouching. "Why does everyone enjoy picking on Alibaba?"

"Because your reactions are so amusing," Marid explains. "But if it really bothers you, I don't think anyone other than Judar will keep doing it."

"Judar is so mean," Alibaba laments.

"Fuck you," says Judar from across the way. He's leaning back, his head flopped on Hakuryuu's shoulder. Where that will go, Marid has no idea. He and Alibaba continue to chat before they start work again. It's backbreaking -trying to rebuild everything without the help of magic. Marid's glad he wasn't a magician because he's not sure he'd be _able_ to do anything helpful. Judar's struggling enough as it is (both with the physical labor _and_ helping people, like in general). Marid begins to hammer the wood of a new house they're building, sweat beading all over his body. He's noticed that he's becoming more muscular recently from all of the labor. Aladdin's noticed, too. He's made his appreciation _apparent_.

They finish building for the day and return back to Alibaba's house. Marid feels grimy and gross and wants to bathe. He walks to the bathroom, past his bedroom. He sees Aladdin asleep on his bed. He smiles. He likes coming home to him. Aladdin wakes up and sits, one side of his hair sticking up. It's cute. He gives Marid a sleepy, waking smile. "Welcome home," Aladdin says.

 _Home._ Marid thinks. He tries to remember the last time he's felt that. He walks over to Aladdin and Aladdin crinkles his nose.

"You stink. Go shower."

"I'm about to," Marid laughs. Aladdin leans forward and pecks him on the mouth before pushing Marid away with his foot.

"Now _go_. I'll be here when you get back."

"Okay," Marid responds, a little dopey, thinking of _home_ and _Aladdin_. It feels as if the words are interchangeable. He goes into the shower and starts to wash himself. He thinks of Aladdin, welcoming him home. He wants that every day. He wants to do that for Aladdin every day, too.

 _I love him_.

* * *

When Marid confesses, it's in the middle of the day. Sunlight is streaming down on Aladdin as he directs the allotting of goods to regions of the world that are still trying to figure out how to survive in the new geography. His form of directivity is to encourage people to make good decisions (somehow they usually end up doing that, too). Marid loves it because it gives people freewill and a sense of accomplishment.

Marid's playing music, breaking in his new oud, in order to encourage the people who are working and generally give off some good vibes. He thinks about how much he loves Aladdin. Aladdin pauses in his speech, turns to Marid. There's a blush on his cheeks. He knows what Marid says through his music, intrinsically.

 _I love you_ , Marid plays.

That night, Aladdin holds him tightly.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Thanks all you guys for coming along on this ride with me. I really wanted to give Aladdin a relationship that wasn't pedophilic (since he _is_ waaay younger than everyone else in magi) and was consensual. And for all you guys that are like "nice but Aladdin would _never_ like a boy because he's not gay!" while he may not be gay, there is a spectrum of sexuality and that _includes_ bi/pansexuality. So. You can't base someone's sexuality off of the things they say when they're twelve. When I was twelve, I thought I only liked boys but _I was wrong_. So.

*The reason why I wrote that Marid can't understand Aladdin when he says a spell is a reference to the Arabian Nights. Whenever anyone uses magic, the other people are like "whoa what did they say i have no idea"

Anyway, I decided to go ahead and write/post this chapter to thank my dude **twistedlittledoll** who is the real MVP and reviewed. Also, thanks to those who've followed and favorited. I really appreciate it!

If you guys liked this, please check out my page for other works/upcoming works. I try to update pretty regularly, but reviews are the way to get me to write a little faster

Songs used (tbh all the ones I've used make a pretty kickass playlist)

Flobots. "Blood in the River." _Noenemies_ , Universal Republic, Island Def Jam, 2017

Bastille. "Laura Palmer." _Bad Blood_ , Virgin Records, 2013.

Offendum, Omar. "Majnoon Layla." _SyrianamericanA,_ 2011\. (I couldn't find his label)

Manchester Orchestra. "I Can Feel A Hot One." _Mean Everything to Nothing_ , Favorite Gentlemen, Sony, Loma Vista, Concord, 2009.


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